Rather than support community use for an historic building on the edge of downtown, city staff is calling on council to stop any further investment in the building, declare it surplus and put it up for sale.
That’s what staff recommend in a report heading to council for consideration next month, much to the disappointment and frustration of a local group that proposed turning the former drill hall – located at 72 Farquhar St. across Wyndham Street South from the Guelph Armoury – into a Guelph Centre for Visual Art.
“Currently, there is no financially viable use for the drill hall property that is in alignment with the city’s capital budget and strategic plan,” the report states.
“Since 2017, the city has spent approximately $5 million rehabilitating the building’s foundation and structure. To bring the building to an occupant-ready state, another potential $5 million (a conservative estimate) of capital funding along with ongoing operational and maintenance costs is required.”
Last June, city officials issued a call for potential user groups to step forward with ideas for the building. Two proposals were made, though one in support of establishing a community business hub has since been withdrawn.
“The Guelph Centre for Visual Arts has confirmed their interest; however, their proposal identifies significant funding support for capital investment and ongoing operational support. In addition, there is no revenue identified by the group for the city to recover capital or operational costs,” the report explains.
When the call for proposals was issued, it noted there were no city funds available to further spend on the building. It also asked proponents to include a business plan.
“Nominal profit sharing was proposed, starting in year three,” the report states, referring to the arts centre proposal. “The revenue identified was nominal and would not address the city’s ability to repay debt or meet other financial obligations. This proposed financial model is not sustainable.”
However, Mike Salisbury, a former city councillor who is among the art centre proponents, begs to differ.
“I find it baffling and confusing,” Salisbury said of the staff recommendations, pointing to a market study done in 2021 that found no private interest in the building existed because of various restrictions on the site, including the condition of the building, its protection under the Ontario Heritage Act and its close proximity to the GO train rail line.
“Nobody wants it because they can't do anything with it. And we've come up with a proposal that not only will do something with it but benefits the community socially, economically, tourism, downtown revitalization.”
In response to the staff report, Salisbury said the art centre proposal is being submitted directly to council so it's fully aware before making a decision on the building’s fate.
Included in that proposal, the former councillor continued, is the possibility of his group buying the building from the city.
“It just left the door open to that conversation that never took place,” Salisbury said. “We were not consulted on that, even though it was asked for (as part of the business plan). It would have been clearly applicable to (city staff’s) desire to sell.”
Salisbury plans to raise his concerns directly with council during the June 4 committee of the whole meeting, where the staff recommendations will be discussed. Anything decided that day will head to a formal council session later in the month for potential ratification.
It’s staff recommendations like this that Salisbury believes lead to “dream fatigue” in the community.
“Dream fatigue is when community members who would otherwise be all over something like this goes, ‘You know what? I've been trying for so long. We've tried and we've been shut down. I just don't believe anymore,’” he explained.
“That's heartbreaking. It comes from staff reports like what's being tabled for the committee of the whole, that is just so unwilling to release a significant community initiative to the community.”
The former drill hall was built in 1866 on the northeast corner of Wyndham and Farquhar streets. It was initially used as a training facility for Guelph’s voluntary militia, as well as to hold local agricultural shows. Through the years it has also operated as a general community hall and was occupied by a variety of industrial uses.
